Friday, March 7

Types of News: Brief

News briefs are shorter stories about current events. It’s the who-what-when-and-where. “Just the facts, ma’am.” Please see our writers guidelines.

Mexico’s New President Promises to Root Out Corruption, Reverse ‘Neoliberal’ Policies
3Dec By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Brief

Mexico’s New President Promises to Root Out Corruption, Reverse ‘Neoliberal’ Policies

Dec. 3, 2018--Mexico swore in Andres Manuel López Obrador as its new president on Saturday, bringing in a new era of governance and a dramatic shift in direction for Latin America's second largest economy. Mr. López Obrador, known by his populist name "AMLO," ran on a campaign to root out corruption and cronyism and eliminate government privilege. He also promised to empower the people, especially in poor and indigenous regions, both economically and through direct representation, such as referendums. It was perhaps that message or simply a wariness against the corrupt status quo that brings López Obrador to power. He won office last July in a landslide victory. He secured with 53 percent of the vote -- 30 percentage points above the closest rival. While The Economist magazine sug...
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Canada, Mexico & U.S. Leaders Sign New Trade Deal
30Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Global Trade, Types of News: Brief

Canada, Mexico & U.S. Leaders Sign New Trade Deal

Nov. 30, 2018--The presidents of Canada, Mexico and the United States signed a new trade agreement governing trillions of dollars of North American trade. Meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina ahead of today's G20 meeting, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto signed the treaty. The legislatures each country still need to approve it before it takes effect. NAFTA Becomes USMCA The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement succeeds the North American Free Trade Agreement. USMCA covers agriculture, intellectual property, digital trade and financial services. It includes environmental safeguards against unregulated fishing and in trafficking in wildlife and timber and labor rights, such as worker representation in collective bargai...
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Global Exchange Bars Iranian Banks in Wake of U.S. Sanctions
13Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Global Trade, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

Global Exchange Bars Iranian Banks in Wake of U.S. Sanctions

Nov. 13, 2018--U.S. sanctions against Iran are beginning to hit the banking sector, making international exchange difficult for Iran and its trading partners. Over the weekend, a global messaging system needed for international trade cut Iranian banks off from its exchange. Without access, Iranian traders cannot conduct business abroad using with bank-to-bank money transfers. As the ban takes effect, international transactions with Iranian banks and traders may come to a halt. Furthermore, the impact on banking transactions brings diplomatic rifts between the United States and the European Union to the surface. SWIFT's Hard Hit The Brussels-based SWIFT system started disconnecting some Iranian banks from its network over the weekend. A SWIFT statement reported by Reuters called the...
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New U.S. Sanctions Against Iran Go Into Effect
5Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Energy Policy, Oil & Gas, Global Trade, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

New U.S. Sanctions Against Iran Go Into Effect

Nov. 5, 2018--Six months after pulling out of the six-party nuclear deal, the United States has launched new sanctions against Iran, impacting its banks, shipping industry, businesses and individuals. The sanctions block assets and transactions on over 900 targets, many of them newly named. "They'll be the toughest sanctions ever placed against the Islamic Republic of Iran," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday in an interview with CBS News. The sanctions mean that companies doing business with both the U.S. and Iranian firms will have to make a choice: Pick a side. You cannot do business with both countries. According to Pompeo, some business leaders quit conducting business in Iran based on the U.S. decision to withdraw from the six-party nuclear deal. "European co...
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U.S. Firms Sold Saudi Arabia $139 Billion of Weapons in Last 10 Years
31Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Arms Sales, Military Industry, Geopolitics, Types of News: Brief

U.S. Firms Sold Saudi Arabia $139 Billion of Weapons in Last 10 Years

October 31, 2018-U.S. defense companies sold the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia nearly $139 billion of military equipment and defense services over the last 10 years. That's more than the $110 billion in sales projected for the next 10 years. International arms sales to the kingdom are coming under greater scrutiny in the aftermath of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi Arabian officials in Istanbul, Turkey on Oct. 2. Last week, the European Parliament passed a resolution urging member states to ban arm sales to Saudi Arabia. Some U.S. lawmakers, like Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., are urging colleagues to to do same. Ongoing Arms Sales The highest grossing year of sales to the Saudi military for U.S. defense companies was 2010 with $60.9 billion of sales. Sales include Chinook, Apache ...
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United States Named ‘Most Competitive’ Economy
19Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Global Economics, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Types of News: Brief

United States Named ‘Most Competitive’ Economy

October 19, 2018--The most competitive economies in the world today are the United States, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland and Japan, according to an annual assessment by the World Economic Forum. The annual report provides a snapshot of the business landscape within 140 countries based on a criteria thought to support economic growth. U.S. Innovation & Dynamism Rising one spot over last year's number two spot, the United States ranks the highest this year. The high score of 85.6 on a 100-point measurement scale is due mainly to it business culture, labor market and financial system. The United States ranked less well, however, on other quality measures such as health, judicial independence, corruption and checks and balances. It's life expectancy of 67.7 years ranks 46th on th...
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U.S. Lacks Funds to Handle Migrants, Asylum Cases, Trump Says
25Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Migration, Immigration, Borders, Types of News: Brief, United States

U.S. Lacks Funds to Handle Migrants, Asylum Cases, Trump Says

June 25, 2018-The United States not only has "the worst immigration laws in the history of the world," it also lacks the funds and resources to deal with migrants crossing its borders, President Donald Trump said late last week as he met with his Cabinet. The statements came just before the U.S. Congress set aside immigration legislation and as the federal government came under scrutiny for separating migrant families. Blame the Other Party Congress appears to be stalemated despite the need to clarity U.S. immigration laws and despite the fact that tens of thousands of migrants are crossing into the United States from Mexico and Central America each year. According to the White House, 200,000 unaccompanied minors migrated to the United States since 2014. "So [Democrats] want us to ...
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As Gov’t Begins Reuniting Families, Congress Sets Immigration Reforms Aside
23Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Migration, Immigration, Borders, Types of News: Brief, United States

As Gov’t Begins Reuniting Families, Congress Sets Immigration Reforms Aside

June 23, 2018-As the U.S. government began reuniting migrant children with their parents, who are being held for illegally crossing the U.S. border, the prospects for immigration reform in Congress appeared dead. The massive migration from Central America to the United States and the U.S. government's inability to handle it have created a crisis with both human and economic costs. The issues involved relate to bureaucratic incompetence, human smuggling, transnational crime, and a broken political system. Many Children And Parents Remain Apart Under pressure mounting pressure from an outrages public, the U.S. government started reuniting parents held under prosecution with their children. According to CBS News, the government returned 500 of the 2,300 children held in detention centers wi...
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U.S. to Target China’s Strategic Industries in New 25 Percent Tariffs
15Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Global Trade, Types of News: Brief

U.S. to Target China’s Strategic Industries in New 25 Percent Tariffs

June 15, 2018-U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans today to impose 25 percent tariffs on up to $50 billion of Chinese imports related to "industrial significant technologies." The tariffs will target emerging high-technologies outlined in China's "Made in China 2025," a strategic plan China published in 2015. That plan proposes to remake the Chinese economy from a low-cost manufacturing hub to a higher-value producer in 10 key sectors, including green technologies, robotics, aerospace, transportation, information technology, and pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Many analysts, such as those at the Council on Foreign Relations, view China's strategic vision as an industrial threat. Trump echoed that sentiment in his announcement. "The United States can no longer toler...
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North Korea State TV Produces Documentary of Kim’s Singapore Trip
14Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief, Types of News: Videos

North Korea State TV Produces Documentary of Kim’s Singapore Trip

June 14, 2018 - A state-television station for North Korea produced a documentary of its leader's trip to Singapore, featuring Kim Jong-un as a patriot who has arrived on the world stage. The 42-minute video on KCTV resembles a travelogue that pays tribute to Kim's ascent in the global conscientiousness. The video clips provide a glimpse into the way the DPRK views the summit. It also sheds light on the fact that Kim and his rogue nation have been isolated from seeing and participating in the rest of the world. Although Kim attended school in Switzerland as a child, he has only traveled outside of North Korea twice -- to China last March and South Korea last April -- since becoming the country's "Supreme Leader" in 2011. The Singapore trip, therefore, was a big deal for him and his coun...
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